195 At this level, excellent communication skills are essential. The senior
hygienist must be able to interpret the incoming data and persuade managers, workers or authorities accordingly. Both written and oral skills are crucial.
Other managerial skills are also expected, like the ability to develop subordinates and to control a budget. An appreciation of cost effectiveness is
essential to the task, as is an up-to-date awareness of legislation, litigation, toxicology and epidemiology.
It is likely that the senior hygienist will be very active professionally, both learning from his peers and contributing to knowledge. Committee work,
publications and presentations are a necessary part of keeping up to date and communicating your own discoveries.
With increasing seniority the hygienist should become a part of the decision making team at senior management level. The terms occupational hygiene
manager and executive hygienist are sometimes used to describe these high level roles. In a multi-national company, the hygienist may have corporate
responsibilities with an international remit. Sound judgement based on years of experience is clearly a pre-requisite. Such a hygienist becomes the primary
source of information and advice needed by senior management while retaining functional control over occupational hygiene policy and professional
practice in the organisation.
21.1.2 Consultancy
Most commonly, consultancy is provided by commercial services. They may be independent companies, or linked to an insurer or equipment
manufacturer. In any case, they are normally run for profit and are funded by the fees received. Fees are charged either on a daily rate basis or are quoted
for a complete job. There are exceptions: some trade associations and group services, for
example, offer consultancy on a not-for-profit basis. Usually they are funded
196 at least partly by a subscription or levy on the members. This may be
supplemented by charging a reduced subsidised daily rate. Consultancy is also provided by some universities, who may see it as a way of
keeping academic staff in touch with the real world, or simply as another source of income. And there are some independent foundations who may
have grant subsidies enabling them to charge reduced fees. Hygienists in consultancy need the same technical skills as those in industry,
but rarely have chance to develop such deep specialisations. Rather they acquire an incredibly broad experience of different types of problems. This
demands an ability to assimilate new situations very quickly and an unusually high degree of self-reliance. On the whole, they tend to be more qualified and
experienced than hygienists in industry, because the consultancy cannot afford to lose a client and there is less opportunity to rectify mistakes.
Job levels in consultancies parallel those in industry. A typical structure would be:
Hygiene technician. Confined to routine measurements only, usually under supervision, possibly restricted to a limited subject area such as
asbestos. Hygienist. Often a young graduate carries out basic surveys for a wide
range of harmful agents. Consultant hygienist. At least five years practical experience and
usually a professional qualification. Carries out surveys, investigations and reports for a wide range of industries and situations, with minimal
supervision. .Advises clients on control measures and implementation. May be involved in training.
Senior consultant hygienist. Many years of experience; with an established track record and a high professional reputation. Usually
deals with senior management. Plans complex projects, oversees the work of junior staff, prepares policies and manages implementation for
clients. Often a heavy involvement in training.
197 The source of funding for a consultancy can affect both the service provided
and the way it is perceived, e.g. independent foundations and universities are seen as objective but
may have limited resources. commercial companies may provide faster response but on a limited
range of services and at a price.
21.1.3 State agencies
